


Dance with Me

by artem_ace



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Best Friends, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-29
Updated: 2015-03-29
Packaged: 2018-03-20 07:41:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3642189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artem_ace/pseuds/artem_ace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Best friends Jason and Nico go to Prom. Cute things ensue^.^ ( Based on a prompt I received via tumblr for a masquerade Jasico Au)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dance with Me

"Hey, you ready?" Jason asks. Nico hears his footsteps through the wall and knows that Jason is walking through the hallway, his dress shoes already on.

"Yeah, just a minute." Nico replies, taking his black mask off the dresser.

"How do I look?" Nico steps out of his room and holds his arms out for inspection.

"Dude, you gotta put the mask on. It’s a masquerade."

Nico sighs and puts the mask over his head, then turns to the hallway mirror to adjust it. “Why are we even having a masquerade ball? What is this, 15th century France?” Jason ignores his question and waits for him to turn back around.

He does so, after smoothing out the suit and inspects his cuff links. He looks at Jason expectantly. “So?”

"You look great!" Jason says with a smile, and Nico can’t help but think that Jason didn’t look too bad either. He was wearing a light blue suit, borrowed from some obscure relative, and had on a white mask dotted with white sequins.

Nico on the other hand, wore a suit given to him by his father for attending funerals, and for when Nico was forced to attend his fathers business meetings. He’s had it since his 15th birthday, and honestly, he still hasn’t completely grown into it. Standing next to his tall, handsome best friend, Nico can’t  help but feel a bit insecure.

"I don’t know… I mean, do I really have to go?" Nico turns to the mirror once more, fidgeting with his tie as if that could reverse years of sitting inside all day, playing mythomagic and eating chips.

"Really, Nico, ten out of ten. You look good." Jason puts a hand on his shoulder and Nico forces himself not to lean into the touch. He frowns at his reflection before addressing Jason.

"Okay, so now for the real question," Jason checks himself out in the mirror, turning to inspect himself at all angles before directing his attention at Nico. "Would you fuck me?" Nico nods and per usual waits for Jason to give him the verdict on his own look.

Jason gives him a once-over, then crosses his arms across his chest, bringing up one hand to stroke his chin as if he were a philosopher in deep thought.  “Hmmm… Yes, yes, very sexy.” He decides. “According to the data that I definitely am  _not_  pulling out of my ass as we speak, 10/10 would fuck.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “Oh, shut up,  _professor_.” However, there’s an unmistakable blush gracing Nico’s cheeks. 

"No, no, really, I mean, I’d fuck you against the wall right now if I could. Trust me, I’m a scientist." Jason is struggling to keep a straight face but manages to stay in character.

"Alright, I get it, totally bangable, no need for hysterics quite yet, Grace." Nico still isn’t convinced, but he figures playing along with Jason’s weird games will get him out of here sooner.

Jason laughs, before checking his watch. “ _Crap_ , we’re supposed to be meeting Leo and Pipes, like, now.” He makes his way to the living room with Nico trailing behind him.

He looks back at the shorter boy who’s still hesitant, his nervousness evident by the way he runs his fingers over his jacket hem, back and forth, back and forth, his skin gliding against the fabric slowly, similar to how he used to rub the hem of his baby blanket to calm himself down. Jason has seen him do this before, like when Nico’s silently freaking over a test the next period, or the day he came out to him.

"Nico?" Jason gets his attention and Nico immediately stops the unconscious rubbing.

"Yeah?"

"You look great, okay?" And he did. Jason wasn’t lying when he’d said he’d have sex with him. If he was telling the truth, it hadn’t been the first time Jason had thought of his friend like that. "Percy doesn’t stand a chance." Jason gives Nico what hopefully is a reassuring pat on the back.

"I’m  _not_ dressing up for Percy.” He growls. “Look, I said I was over him,  _and I am_.” He stresses. “This is for me, alright? I’m going to go out, and look sexy as hell, and have a great time.” He says, mostly to reassure himself.

Jason smiles. “Atta boy.” He chuckles and swings his arm over Nico’s shoulders.

"Now, come on," Jason guides them both through the front door of the house. "Piper might literally kill us if we’re late."

~~~~

Piper doesn’t kill them, instead shoving millions of to-be-inflated balloons into their arms as soon as they walk in the door. Jason isn’t sure which he’d prefer.

The dance is in the gym, the only place big enough to hold 600 high schoolers and staff. Being president of student government, it’s Pipers job to set it up. She’s supposed to have help, but apparently the other club members have decided that getting themselves prepared for the dance was more important than insuring there was actually a dance to get prepared for.

So far, there were streamers coming down from the ceiling, a table with snacks, other, smaller, tables with chairs around them (six to each table, obviously), and a camera set up in front of a green screen, to take pictures of memories that some will cherish for the rest of their lives. Others, not so much.

"Where’s Leo?" Nico asks, and said boy pops out from behind the DJstand.

“ _Excuse you_ , but it’s “Hip-Daddy Mcflame” tonight.” Leo has a pair of headphones around his neck and his hands are on his hips.

"Okay, "Hip-Daddy", I’m going to need these blown up, please." Piper shoves even more balloons into his arms and turns to survey their work.

There are black and white balloons covering the ceiling and the streamers are hung beautifully. The basketball goals look out of place, as does the school’s insignia, a large wombat, placed right in the middle of the dance floor, but Piper figures it looks okay. Something seems out of place, though…. Shouldn’t there be banners?

"Where the  _fuck_  is Drew?” Vice President of the student body, Drew Tanaka is supposed to be helping. Knowing that she probably wouldn’t, Piper had only assigned her one job. Making banners for the dance. And not only did she not make them she wasn’t even here.

"According to her Instagram selfies, she’s getting her nails done." Leo offers from his place sitting on the DJ booth, phone in hand.

"I’m going to kill her." Piper states.

"Pipes-" Jason starts making is way over to her. "No, Jason, I’m going to fucking murder her. She had one job.  ** _One job_**.” Piper is fuming as Jason wraps his arms around her and keeps her still as she tries to squirm away.

"Okay, first of all, that would be illegal, and secondly, the place looks great, we don’t even need banners." Piper relaxes into him and he rests his chin on top of her head.

"I know, it’s just planning this dance was a lot more work than I thought and more people were supposed to help set up and Drew can’t even do the one simple thing I asked her to do and I don’t know I’m just really stressed out right now. Reyna offered to come, but I told her I could handle it. I should’ve just accepted her help. I’m such an idiot." While she rants, she and Jason sway from side to side, Jason still holding her from behind.

Nico gets really uncomfortable when they act like a couple, because, well, they used to  _BE_  a couple. Both Jason and Piper have assured him that they have about zero intention of ever getting back together, but they are so comfortable around each other, Nico isn’t as positive. And he isn’t the only one. Their classmates still “ship” them even though they broke up about a year ago and Piper is dating some kid named Matthew from California. She said they met while she was on vacation with her dad and that he’s really sweet.

"Beauty Queen?" Leo asks. Piper hums from Jason’s arms. "Not to bother you or anything, but where is your mask?" Pipers hands fly up to her face and a look of horror crosses her features when her hands confirm that her mask is, indeed, not attached to her face.

"Dammit!" She breaks away from Jason’s grasp and puts her head into her hands. "I left it in the room when we were bringing in the helium tank.  _Shit_.”

"Hey, I can get it." Jason offers. "What room is it in?"

"Um 51. Mrs. Gray." Piper replies, running her fingers through her dark hair.

"Be right back." Jason assures her before running out of the gym in the direction of the west wing of the school.

Nico notices that the corner of the green screen has unattached itself from the PVC pipe holding it up. “Hey, uh, give me a hand so I can fix the thing.” He gestures to the screen and Leo nods grabbing a fold out chair from one of the tables. Piper goes back to blowing up the balloons and just looking genuinely stressed out.

Leo places the chair next to the screen and gives Nico a hand getting up there. Nico can’t quite reach the corner. He’s the tallest of the three of them, but is still really short and Jason would be so much better at this. But Jason’s gone and Nico’s what they have to work with, so he just shrugs and adjusts himself to get a better angle, causing the cheap chair to wobble a bit.

"Careful," Leo warns, but Nico ignores him and stands on his toes to reattach the screen. "Got it." He mutters, proud of himself, when all of a sudden there’s a creaking noise and then there’s isn’t a chair under him any more and Nico is falling, bringing the green screen down with him. Leo attempts to catch him, but the momentum is too great and they both fall to the ground with a loud bang. Piper accidentally let’s go of the balloon she had been holding and there’s a loud  ** _SQUEEEEE_** as the balloon flies around the room before hitting the face of none other than Percy Jackson.

He’s seen the whole thing, if his open mouth and wide eyes are anything to go by, and he picks up the balloon on the floor, then stares at Leo and Nico sprawled out on the floor, before speaking.

"Er, coach said you guys might need some help….?" Percy asks, unsure what to do with the deflated balloon. Piper beams. "Yes, that would be great!"

~~~~~~

Jason returns with the mask right as they get the screen set up again. He raises an eyebrow at the new addition of Percy, but otherwise doesn’t say anything.

Half an hour later, the dance is in full swing, most of the students already there and dressed in masks. Nico stands to the side awkwardly as his classmates dance to loud music played by “Hip-Daddy Mcflame”. Speaking of Leo, he had somehow gotten his hands on a chain necklace with a large dollar sign and was currently animatedly performing to the song “Timber” by Ke$ha. Nico wonders how much of the spiked punch he’s had.

It doesn’t take long of him standing in between the snack table and a couple that is  _definitely_ violating the PDA rules for Nico to wish for a change of scenery.

Drew had come in ten minutes before the dance officially started, wearing a dark purple dress and Starbucks, dragging her date behind her. Piper had reprimanded her for not making the banners, but Drew just rolled her eyes and commented on how shitty Piper’s cuticles were. Piper just gritted her teeth and told Drew to set up the camera for taking photos.

Once Piper left, Drew easily convinced a sophomore to take her place and joins her friends in the middle of the dance floor. Nico maneuvers his way through the crowd of grinding teens and taps on the boy’s shoulder.

"Hey, uh, I could take over if you want." Nico offers, and the boy gives him a grateful smile. "Really? Oh, thank god, I thought I was going to be here all night! I  _really_  have to pee, too. ” He gives Nico what could loosely be considered a hug before running off in the direction of the bathroom.

Nico’s stuck at the photo-booth taking pictures of happy couples and groups of friends, while he himself stands alone. Jason stands and keeps him company when he can, but every ten minutes, he gets whisked away by shy girls who ask for a dance.

After about an hour into the dance, Percy Jackson makes his way over to him. Jason winks at him from under the basketball hoop where Reyna and Piper are currently having what seems to be a game of HORSE. Why Jason is standing directly under the net is a mystery to Nico, but all thoughts of him fly out of his mind when Percy approaches him.

"Uh, hey, you were helping set up the dance right? With Piper and Jason?"

"Um, yeah?" Nico replies with what sounds like a question. Hopefully, Percy wasn’t about to bring up the disaster with Leo from earlier.

"I was, uh, wondering if…" Percy looks around the room at the dancing teens, and Nico’s heart starts beating so hard he’s sure the entire student body can hear it trying to escape his chest.  _Was Percy about to ask him to dance?_ Suddenly, Nico’s hands are becoming clammy and he’s wondering if his crush on Percy was as over as he thought.  _Dammit, would Percy just finish the damn question?_

"… If you’ve seen my girlfriend. Annabeth Chase?" Percy finishes, and Nico’s heart decides maybe staying still is actually the best decision, and drops to the bottoms his stomach. Of course, Percy didn’t want to dance with him. He has a girlfriend for goodness sake, and Nico wishes with all his heart that the ground will swallow him up so he can hide for a while.

Nico swallows. “No, haven’t seen her. Sorry.” He mumbles.

"Oh. Thanks anyway, Nicky." Nico winces.

"Nico." He corrects.  _Why can’t he just let Percy go?_ Instead he’s made the situation worse and Percy’s staring at him with this confused expression that Nico refuses to find adorable. “My name’s Nico.” He elaborates, wanting to bury his face in his hands. Instead he just watches as Percy’s face transforms from confusion to guilt.

"Shit! Nico. Right, sorry!" Percy’s hand goes to cover his mouth and he looks so genuinely sorry that Nico feels even worse.

The awkward silence that has settled over them is interrupted by a sharp “Percy!” That comes from their left.

Annabeth Chase is walking toward them briskly in a beautiful sea-green gown that matches Percy’s bow tie perfectly.

"Hey, I’m so sorry I’m late, this lady came into the diner right I was leaving and-  _mmfp_!” Annabeth is cut off by Percy picking her up and forcefully pressing their mouths together. She looks shocked at first, but leans into the kiss wrapping her arms around Percy’s neck, and soon they’re making out right next to him, and Nico’s never felt more mortified in his life. They pull away and Percy gives a smile and a low “Hi.”

Annabeth laughs. “Hey, seaweed brain.” She pecks him on the lips.

Percy finally seems to acknowledge that they aren’t alone, and turns to Nico. “Do you mind taking a picture?” He asks, gesturing to the camera.

"Uh, yeah, I mean, I don’t, you know _, mind_ -” Nico’s stumbling through his speech and he curses everyone he can think of. “Sure, I’ll take the picture.” Percy flashes him a smile. “Great!”

They pose for a picture before thanking him, and Percy grabs Annabeth’s hand to lead her to the dance floor. “See you around, Nico!” She calls over her shoulder and Nico scowls because even  _Annabeth_ knows his name. His gaze returns to Jason who’s giving him a sympathetic look from his place under the basketball hoop. A ball goes through the net and hits Jason on the back of his head, followed by loud cheering from Piper.

Nico smiles slightly and looks away, fumbling with the settings on the camera, still embarrassed with himself for being an idiot in front of Percy. Nico feels a hand on his back and turns to see Jason looming over him, rubbing the back of his head.

"Come on." Jason commands, and tugs Nico in the direction of the hallway.

"Jason, I have to run the camera." The smaller boy protests. Jason rolls his eyes. "Literally nobody else is going to get pictures." He says. "I have to at least make sure nobody takes it." Nico persists.

"Katie!" Jason calls and a girl with light brown hair looks over at them. "Could you do me a favor?" Katie nods. "Do you mind watching the camera for a minute?" He asks.

"Sure." The girl, Katie, replies, going to stand by the device. 

Jason gives him an  _"Are you happy now?"_ look, and Nico’s about refuse again, when he sees Percy and Annabeth dancing in the middle of the dance floor, right over the animated William the Wombat, Annabeth’s beautiful, golden, curls cascading down her back as she laughed. Nico wished he knew the joke.

Jason takes his hand gently, and leads him out into the hallway without another word. Once out of the gym, the noise almost disappears, and Nico’s left alone with his misery. And his best friend.

"You okay?" Jason asks, his face filled with concern. Nico shrugs and sort of leans into him, keeping his hands by his side. Jason awkwardly tries to hug his friend who has turned into a log-nico mutant.

"Wow, Neeks, this is the straightest you’ve been in a while!" The blonde comments and Nico glares at him. Jason can tell he’s holding back a laugh and just smiles until Nico lets out the bubble of laughter he’s trying to hold in.

"I hate you." Nico comments after he catches his breath from laughing. "Love you too," Jason jokes, ruffling his hair. "But really, you okay?"

Nico sighs. “Yeah, I mean, I knew he had a girlfriend. And I thought I was over him, I really thought I was, and I don’t know, I’m just an idiot.”

"Well, that’s not a lie…" Jason says. Nico rolls his eyes. "I’m kidding! Nico you’re the smartest person I know." Nico just shakes his head and mutters a quiet ‘whatever’.

Jason looks at him for a bit. “Remember when Leo insisted on having a quinceañera?” He asks. 

Nico gives him a strange look.  For his fifteenth birthday, Leo had somehow convinced his parents to throw him a quinceañera, a coming of age ceremony for 15 year old girls in Latin America. Reluctantly, they agreed, (Nico’s pretty sure they just got tired of Leo talking to them about it), and as a result Nico and Jason, along with Leo’s other friends, had to learn how to waltz at his insistence. He nods.

"Remember the dance?" Realization dawns on him and Nico backs away from the older boy. "Jason Alexander  Gra-"

"C’mon it’ll be fun!" Jason interrupts excitedly. They share a look for a full minute, communicating without words. Jason’s eyes wide as he silently begs his best friend to dance with him.

Nico is the first one to speak. “Fine. But I’m leading.”

~~~~~~~~

Nico waits as Jason goes to speak to Leo who’s still dancing with his headphones on. Leo looks at Nico, surprised, and Nico gives him a half hearted wave, accompanied by a grimace. Leo gives him a wide grin and turns to his computer, as Jason

jogs down the steps and back to Nico.

The song starts and despite it being 2 years ago, Nico remembers every step. “You ready?” He whispers. “Nope.” Jason murmurs back. And then they’re dancing slowly, other couples making room for them as Nico leads Jason around in the familiar steps, easily falling into a rhythm. Jason’s having less luck, stumbling blindly, attempting to dance the female part, and trusting Nico’s lead.

The song speeds up, and so do they, and Jason’s finally gotten into the beat, matching his steps to Nico’s, making their way in a small pattern across the dance floor. People are staring, some whispering when they realize that Jason’s following, but there aren’t any snide comments, for which Nico is grateful.

Nico tries to twirl Jason around, a mistake, seeing as Jason almost falls over, being a half a foot taller than his partner. But they just laugh and try to get back in step. It’s a clumsy dance, but it’s fun, and soon other couples attempt to join in, a bunch of teenagers vainly attempting to waltz, and Nico can’t stop smiling.

Jason’s steps on his feet for about the sixth time and mutters curse words and an apology under his breath. Nico just continues to lead the dance, twirling him one more time as the song ends. He’s a bit out of breath, and he looks up at his best friend. Some of the students around them are cheering slightly, other grumbling, but Nico doesn’t care. He’s having a good time, and this is what Senior Prom is supposed to be, not standing by the snacks, or by a table, and for the first time that night he’s glad he came.

Nico’s looking around at the other teens, but Jason’s looking at Nico. His dark hair is pulled back in a ponytail and the black mask gives him a mysterious edge. But his eyes tell a different story, a warm, inviting brown, and his lips are pale an soft and holy shit Jason has never wanted to kiss somebody more than he wants to right now.

So he does.

Nico tastes like the cupcakes from the snack table and caramel. Just as he starts kissing him back, Jason realizes what he’s done and pulls away. Nico’s mouth is still open, a shocked expression covering his features. “I, uh, bathroom.” Jason briskly walks back into the hallway to reprimand himself for kissing his best friend.

Nico returns to the camera, dejectedly praying that the blush he feels on his face isn’t as visible as he thinks. His ears are buzzing. Jason kissed him. Jason kissed him. Why? Did he like him? Was it a joke? No, Jason wouldn’t do that.

He didn’t even get to kiss him back properly. Nico continues to think of scenarios where he could have done something, anything, to look less like an idiotic jerk. Nico’s pulled out of his thoughts when for the second time that night somebody pulls him away from the camera.

Reyna Avila Ramirez Arellano is looking at him with such a fierce gaze that Nico can’t help but feel inadequate. “Nico.” Reyna smiles and her face immediately looks softer and less scary. “Reyna?” He questions.

"Jason’s convinced that you hate him. Is this true?" Reyna inquires.

Jason thought he hated him? “No he’s my best friend.” Nico replies.

"Well, he thinks you do. Might want to clear that up." She offers. "Also he wants to dance with you, but he’s afraid to ask."

"Is Jason twelve?" Nico asks, and looks over Reyna’s shoulder, spotting Jason looking at them with a bright red face. He quickly turns his head when he sees Nico staring. All of this feels a bit too  _middle-school_ for Nico’s liking. They’re almost adults for goodness sakes.

He decides to go and talk to Jason himself, rather than send in a representative. Nico finally makes his way over to Jason, who is currently trying to hide his face, forgetting that he’s wearing a mask.

"….hey…"

"…..hey."

"Dance with me?" Nico asks, and Jason nods, taking Nico’s hand and following him to the very edge of the dance floor, were they can be relatively alone. Jason "leads" this time, resting his hands on Nico’s hips, and Nico wraps his arms around Jason’s neck.

Neither of them say anything, choosing, instead, to sway back and forth to the slow song. Nico’s hands drop to rest in between them and Jason’s unravel from his waist to join them. The pair sway back and forth, loosely intertwining their fingers. Nico’s head rests on Jason’s chest and he can hear his heartbeat through the fabric of his coat.

Jason’s breathing matches his own and Nico’s happy. He doesn’t know what this means, but he’s content to let it happen. Maybe it’s a one time thing and maybe he’ll regret it in the morning, but for now he plays with Jason’s finger tips letting the music control their slow movement.

**Author's Note:**

> ayeeeeeeeee third fic, still Jasico bc I was Jasico trash for a long time. I'm in the process of moving all of my fics from tumblr to here, in the order they were posted so hopefully i've improved since this was written^.^ reviews are appreciated. If you would like to follow me on tumblr, my main blog (where fics are posted) is artem-ace.tumblr.com and my pjo blog is demi-will-solace.tumblr.com


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